A Retrospective Observational Study of Cases of Sexual Assault at Tertiary Care Center

Abstract

Aim: To conduct a retrospective study to determine the profiles of victims of sexual assault and to study demographical factors in them. Materials and method: This retrospective observational study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India for a duration of 8 years (from January 2014 to July 2022). Data were collected from case records of the hospital. Results • A total of 75 cases were below the age of 18 years, 36 cases were falling into the age group of 18–25 years, 16 cases were in the age group of 25–40 years while only 3 cases were above 40 years of age. • A total of 25.38% (33 cases) gave a history of sexual assault while 74.61% (total of 97 cases) victims had both physical and sexual assault. • The time interval between incidence and reporting to professionals were noted, and as per the observation, 20.7% (27 cases) reported the incidence within 24 hours, while 11 cases (8.4%), 41 cases (31.53%), and 44 cases (33.84%) reported within 1 week, 1 month, and within 1 year, respectively. • A total of 43 cases (33.07%) were having intact hymen while 60 cases (46.15%) had hymenal tears at multiple sites. Conclusion and clinical significance • The more commonly affected age group is found to be between 0 and 18 years. Considering their educational background, mainly students of primary school are victims of assault. • Maximum incidences were reported within 1 month to 1 year of the assault which indicates a delay in reporting the incidence and also a delay in medical examination of the victim. • There is an increased rate of unwanted pregnancies in victims and delayed diagnosis. Most of these were teenage pregnancies, increasing physical and emotional stress on unmarried mothers. • Most of the victims were the target of both physical and sexual abuse. • Only 24.16% of cases had been reported within 72 hours of the incidence and were eligible for taking samples. • For the majority of the assaults, the accused was a ”known to” victim.